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HB0024 • 2026

Review of charter school applications.

AN ACT relating to review of charter school applications; amending the timeline for authorizers to review charter school applications; and providing for an effective date.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Education
Last action
2026-03-05
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
3/5/2026

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not explicitly state requirements for public hearings and in-person interviews as new mandates; these were implied from existing practices.

Review of Charter School Applications

This law changes the timeline for reviewing new charter school applications to 120 days instead of 90 days.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the timeline for authorizers to review and decide on new charter school applications from 90 days to 120 days.
  • Applies only to new charter school applications submitted on or after March 5, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Charter schools applying for authorization in Wyoming.
  • Authorizers who review and decide on charter school applications.

Terms To Know

Authorizer
The person or group responsible for reviewing and deciding whether to approve a charter school application.
Charter School Application
A document submitted by an individual or organization seeking permission to start a new charter school.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law only affects applications submitted on or after March 5, 2026.
  • It does not change the requirements for existing charter schools.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-05 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 32

  2. 2026-03-05 Governor

    Governor Signed HEA No. 0015

  3. 2026-03-02 Senate

    S President Signed HEA No. 0015

  4. 2026-03-02 House

    H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0015

  5. 2026-03-02 LSO

    Assigned Number HEA No. 0015

  6. 2026-03-02 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 31-0-0-0-0

  7. 2026-02-27 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2026-02-26 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  9. 2026-02-25 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  10. 2026-02-25 Senate

    S04 - Education:Recommend Do Pass 4-0-1-0-0

  11. 2026-02-23 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S04 - Education

  12. 2026-02-19 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  13. 2026-02-19 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 57-0-5-0-0

  14. 2026-02-17 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  15. 2026-02-16 House

    H COW:Passed

  16. 2026-02-11 House

    H Placed on General File

  17. 2026-02-11 House

    H04 - Education:Recommend Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0

  18. 2026-02-09 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H04 - Education 62-0-0-0-0

  19. 2026-01-09 House

    H Received for Introduction

  20. 2025-12-19 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 26LSO-0194

Bill No.:

HB0024

Effective:

Immediately

LSO No.:

26LSO-0194

Enrolled Act No.:

HEA No. 0015

Chapter No.:

32

Prime Sponsor:

Joint Education Interim Committee

Catch Title:

Review of charter school applications.

Has Report:

No

Subject:

Timelines for charter school applications.

Summary/Major Elements:

Amends the timeline for authorizers to review charter school applications, extending the period for public hearings and application decisions to one hundred twenty (120) days.

The act applies to new charter school applications submitted on or after the effective date of the act.
The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
26LSO-0194

ORIGINAL House

Bill No
.
HB0024

ENROLLED ACT NO. 15,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2026 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to review of charter school applications; amending the timeline for authorizers to review charter school applications; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 21
‑
3
‑
307(b) and 21
‑
3
‑
308(a) are amended to read:

21
‑
3
‑
307.

Charter application; contents; phased
‑
in application process.

(b)

Upon submission of an application under W.S. 21
‑
3
‑
307(a), the authorizer shall notify the applicant
within thirty (30) days of submission
whether the application is complete. If the authorizer determines that the application is incomplete, the authorizer shall advise the applicant of the reasons for the determination in sufficient detail for the applicant to make changes for resubmission of the application to the authorizer.

21
‑
3
‑
308.

Hearing by authorizer; prohibited actions by authorizer; criteria; compliance with state standards; contractual authority.

(a)

Not later than sixty (60) days
A
fter receiving an application for any charter school which has been determined to be complete pursuant to W.S. 21
‑
3
‑
307(b), the authorizer shall hold a public hearing on the application, at which time the authorizer shall consider the level of community and parental support for the application if an application for a new charter school, or the level of teacher and parental support if an application for a converted charter school or charter school within a school. The application review process shall also include an in
‑
person interview of the applicant or applicant group. Following review of the application and the public hearing, if applicable, and in accordance with subsection (d) of this section, the authorizer shall either approve or deny the application within
ninety (90)
one hundred twenty (120)
days of receipt. In addition, the authorizer may approve an application for the operation of a converted charter school only if it determines teacher and parental support for the conversion are established at the levels required by W.S. 21
‑
3
‑
306(b). Prior to approving an application for a charter school under this section, the authorizer shall approve and adopt the content and terms of the charter as provided in W.S. 21
‑
3
‑
307.

Section 2.

This act shall apply to new charter school applications submitted on or after the effective date of this act.

Section 3.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.

Chief Clerk

1